This invention relates to a portable dispenser having a pressurized reservoir for storing water and, in particular, to a portable dispenser for filling water balloons and water pistols.
In the prior art, balloons and water pistols could be filled only from a water faucet. This has a number of disadvantages. For example, the range at which water balloons and water pistols can be filled and used is significantly reduced because a user must stay near the faucet. Stretching the mouth of a water balloon over the faucet causes great stress on the balloon, often leading to rupture of the balloon or a rip of the mouth of the balloon. A faucet does not direct the water well, making it difficult to fill a water pistol through the small hole typically available on the pistol.
Water balloons are rarely used in water fights because of the time, care, and inconvenience involved in filling even one balloon. It takes time to leave a water fight, go to the nearest faucet, fill a balloon, and then return to the water fight. The balloon must be filled with care to avoid rupturing or ripping the balloon, which further increases the time away from the fun of a water fight. It is inconvenient to interrupt a water fight for re-filling, often at the same faucet as ones opponents. Much of the sense of competition and of action is usually lost, causing the fight to be short-lived and preventing it from reaching a climax of fun. The situation is much the same with small capacity water pistols, with the added disadvantage of spilling water around the faucet, creating huge, muddy messes in the surrounding area. For these reasons, many participants in water fights do not wish to use water balloons or small capacity water pistols.
Manufacturers of water pistols have tried to overcome some of these problems by increasing the size of the reservoir in the water pistol, until the water pistol is almost too heavy to operate while filled. The problem with water balloons has not been recognized.
Pressurized dispensers and, in particular, water pistols with pressurized reservoirs, are known in the art. The prior art does not disclose pressurized reservoirs for filling water balloons and water pistols from a self-contained, portable unit. Of particular interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,674 (1980) to Lawrence T. Jones et al. which discloses a toy water pistol system that has a separate, but attached, pressurized reservoir. The reservoir is pressurized by a hand pump that forces water through flexible tubing to a pistol. The pistol includes a trigger that stops the water from flowing unless the trigger actuated. When the trigger is actuated, the water flows continuously through a nozzle. Also of particular interest is a "Water Bomb Kit" made by Betta Productions Inc. in which a hand-held, squeeze pump-fills water balloons by immersing an inlet of the pump into water and attaching a balloon to an outlet of the pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,281,142 (1942) to Ernest W. Davis, discloses a portable pumping apparatus for spraying insecticide or oil. U.S. Pat. No. 2,515,568 (1950) to Gorden C. Pharo, discloses a pump sprayer in which a tank or container is pressurized by operating an air compressor forcing liquid material out through a controlled dispensing spray nozzle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,070 (1965) to Curtis F. Pearl et al. discloses a toy fluid dispensing device or garden sprayer wherein a power piston is forced into a chamber filled with water collected from a connected tank. The power piston forces the water through the nozzle to project a spraying stream of about twenty-five feet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,482 (1967) to Carl Voce, discloses a water pistol having a single pump to collect water from a connected reservoir and to force the water through a nozzle on the pistol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,460 (1981) to Bruce J. Parany et al. discloses a water pistol having a balloon-like pump system to discharge stored water in a spraying stream. U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,071 (1986) to Lonnie G. Johnson, discloses a pressurized squirt gun that shoots a continuous high velocity stream of water using a pressurized reservoir and a trigger for controlling the discharge of the water through a nozzle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,412 (1990) to Donna Younts et al. discloses an apparatus for injecting confetti into a balloon while inflating the balloon. U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,437 (1991) to Bruce M. D'Andrade et al. discloses a water gun that is operated by selectively releasing water from a pressurized reservoir. The reservoir is pressurized by a manual air pump. U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,460 (1992) to David A. Reed, discloses a multipurpose container system to be used for loading liquid dispensers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,462 (1992) to Michael R. Latzel, discloses a water gun including a balloon storage housing from which balloons are inflated by the release of compressed gas from a cylinder. A balloon is tethered to the gun for use as a target. U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,317 (1992) to Michael A. Roppolo, III, discloses a portable liquid dispenser for transporting large quantities of liquid to a predetermined location and for dispensing the liquid on demand. U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,391 (1993) to Wallace Roueche et al. discloses a portable sprayer including a piston pump to pressurize a container, a flexible tubing exiting the container, and a nozzle for spraying. U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,149 (1993) Lonnie G. Johnson et al. discloses a water pistol having a manual piston pump that pressurizes a reservoir with water and air from another reservoir, a trigger, and a spraying nozzle.
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a portable dispenser that enables one to fill water balloons and water pistols in a large territory.
Another object of the invention is to provide a portable dispenser having a nozzle adapted for filling water balloons and for providing a controlled stream of water for filling water pistols with little spillage.
A further object of the invention is to provide a portable, pressurized dispenser for conveniently filling water balloons and small capacity water pistols in the midst of a competition or a water fight.
Another object of the invention is to provide a neater and cleaner way of filling water balloons and water pistols.
A further object of the invention is to provide portable, pressurized dispenser for conveniently filling water balloons and small capacity water pistols away from a water faucet.
Another object of the invention is to provide a portable dispenser for liquids that stores empty or filled water balloons and stores other articles useful in a water fight.
A further object of the invention is to provide dispenser including a trigger that actuates a valve and indicates the pressure within a pressurized reservoir.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser including a trigger that is also a relief valve for releasing pressure from a pressurized reservoir.